ASU men's basketball has been dubbed "Guard U" under head coach Bobby Hurley's heavy reliance on backcourt playmakers, and one guard is solidifying his place in Sun Devil history.
Junior guard Remy Martin, the Sun Devil's 2019-20 scoring leader, was instrumental to ASU's success this season, ranking second in Pac-12 scoring and guiding the team to a 13-8 record.
In addition to being a model of consistency, the native of Chatsworth, California, is also one of constant improvement.
Martin has steadily increased his scoring output in each of his three seasons with the team, including nearly a seven points-per-game jump from the 2018-19 season to now.
But for the Sun Devil floor general, there is still a lot of additional ground to be covered.
“I want to do more. I want to win more. That is my mindset,” Martin said. “Here in the present, I’m just trying to get better every day.”
On Jan. 25, Martin notched a game-high 24 points in a thrilling one-point home win against rival Arizona.
His performance against the Wildcats was his seventh straight game with at least 20 points, and he became the first player in 23 years to start conference play with six consecutive 20 point games.
This season, Martin also turned in the biggest scoring performance of his collegiate career in a Nov. 26 win against Princeton, notching 33 points on 13-23 shooting.
The outburst was part of a dominant start to the campaign in which he averaged 20.3 points per game through the team’s first 10 contests.
Of the 73 points per game the team is averaging this season, Martin accounts for more than a quarter of the output with his current 19.3 PPG mark. But in addition to his strong presence on offense, his teammates credit him for their on-court success as well.
“When a guard and a big have a great chemistry, it really helps out the whole team,” said redshirt junior forward Romello White. “(We) just have a great relationship on the court.”
White, the 6 foot 8 inch Atlanta native, has seen his own stats improve in his third year, averaging a career-high 11 points and nine rebounds per game, the latter of which is second best in the conference.
For Martin, his relationship with his teammates is just as important off the court as it is in the gym. Part of what defines his role as a leader is the interest he takes in the well-being of his team.
“It means a lot to me to lead (the team),” Martin said. “But I just want to be a good person — at the end of the day, when the ball stops bouncing, I want them to be able to call me so I know how they are doing.”
Freshman guard Jaelen House and freshman forward Jalen Graham have enjoyed some bright moments to begin their collegiate careers, and having a veteran presence like Martin around is a factor in their growth as future leaders.
Graham in particular has begun to earn minutes toward the end of games thanks to his ability to perform in the clutch, something that Martin has proven he can do time and time again this season and has instilled in his teammates.
“He is one of the best players in the conference and one of the best players in the country,” Hurley said of Martin. “You can count on that guy to make big plays and help you win games.”
ASU has 10 regular season games remaining on its schedule, including a matchup against No. 14 Oregon, which holds first place in the Pac-12 standings.
While the Sun Devils still have a lot of work to do in the hopes of a lengthy playoff run, Martin continues to put everything into perspective.
To him, the ultimate goal is to be successful as a human being and a team leader.
“I want to be known as more than a basketball player and be seen as a regular person,” Martin said. I think it’s great because you get the understanding of knowing how it feels to be a regular student.”
Reach the reporter at hcroton@asu.edu or follow @thecrote on Twitter.
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